The Science of Generosity

Published: August 12, 2011

Author: Notre Dame News

The Science of Generosity project is funded by a $5 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The grant was awarded to Christian Smith, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology and director of the University’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society. “The goal of the project is to mobilize top-quality research across various disciplines on the origins, expressions, and effects of generosity,” Smith said, noting that the project defines generosity as the spirit and practice of giving good things to others freely and abundantly. “This includes time, aid, attention, blood, possessions, encouragement, emotional investment, and more. In countless ways, the world wants for significant growth in the virtue of giving.”